Automatic train-control system



W. K. HOWE.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION man JULY 21, 191i. RENEWED APR. 21, I920. 1,360,219.

Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

INVENTOR ilt ream-contract Specification of Letters Patent. 'li-"zrtgntgrll Min $3,, 192%) .llifljlglltllt tlilloll. filed July 27, with, Flerlal ltlo. ltencwed April 31, 19560. Serial No. Woman Tooll ti /awn it may concern 'gether with ramps arranged. to cooperate Be it hno'wn that I, VVIN'rI-inor ll. l'llou'n, with said shoe some oi. said ramps being a citizen. oi? the-United States, and a resicapable of movement to diiil'erent positions dent of the city of Rochester, in the county so as to move the shoe on the train to dif- 5 of Monroe and State of New Yorlc have i'ercot operated positions,

invented a new and useful a lutomatic 'llraiin The invention further consists in the Control System, of Which the li'ollowing in parts, and in tl: arrai'ioemeuts and. combia specification. v I nations o'l parts, more ridly set "forth, here- This invention relates to systems for au-- matter.

10 tonlatically controllingrailway trains, and in describing; the invention in detail, relmore particularly to such systems in which ercnce had to the accon'ipanying; drawing! the movement of the train controlled, in who; iin l. have illustrated I a preferred some appropriate Way, by speed control apphysical embodiment of my inventiorn and poratus andby automatic stop mechanism wherein like characters of refer-e1 3h dosing 6 15 on the trainythe control of said speed connote correspoinling parts rent the trol apparatus and said stop mechanism. beseveral ricusand in which: 1 ing accomplished by ramps or similar deflhe figure is a diagrammatic illustration yices located along the track for the trains of a railway train or vehicle and a track for and adapted to cooperatewith. shoes or simi said train and shows the parts of an auto 2c lar devices carried by-the train matic train control system embodying; the

One of the principal objects of theinveninvcntioin both those part which are assotion is to construct and arrange the parts oi ciated with the train and those which are a train control system so that the same shoe located along; the track, triigeliher with the carried by the train may be used to control circuits and electrical coni'iections between 5 the operation of the speed control apparatus said parts, the operative parts being shown and the automatic stop mcchanisu'i. in saidlip-lire in their normal positions and it further object of the invention is to dc in the condition existingwhen a train is rise a simple and reliable automatic train passing over one. of the ramps and when control system by which the speed ol the trallic conditions permit said train to pro- 3e train may be autonuitically controlled accred at uitu'estricted speed.

cording to trallic conditions. and by which .lle'l errino to the accompanying dmwiogre the train may be brought to a stop at cerone truth; rail l. of the railway track c be tain points in its travel when uccessmry, as trio-ally coi'itinuous, the separate rail. sections for instance in territory governed by :lIl-lI1-' thereof being suitably bonded together; and 35 terloching plant, Where the movement of a the other track rail 2 is divided into electrain, if continued even at a low spccih trically distinct blocks A, B and (if in any might conlhct with the route of a last inorsuitable manner as by mounting j int 3, iug train and result in a serious accident. '.l he blocks A ll and C may he oi any length tlther objects and advantages will appear rmpliiml to obtain the desired spacing oi 40 as the description of the invention prothe trains, and although only one block ll grosses. and the novel features of the invenand a portion of the adjacent blocks A and lion will be particularly pointed out in the l,- are shownin the drawing, it is to be on"- appendedclaims. t (lei-stood that the entire length of the tracl'e Generally stated, the invention consists in way protected by the system is divided into 45 a shoe carried by the train which can be similar blocks Across the track rails 1 and moved to different positions from its normal 52 at one end of each block is connected a position, one of the operated positions of source of electric current, as a battery a l; said shoe controlling the speed control apand to theother end of each block section a paratus of the'trein and another operated track relay 5 is connected across the track 50 position of said shoe controlling the auto rails l and 2 by conductors 6 and 7 illmatic stop mechanism of said tram, tothough theelectricel W ring -forboth the each block, together with the track rails 1 and 2 and the track battery 4 of that block, constitute the well known normally closed track circuit; and when no train occupies 'the corresponding block the trackv relay 5 is normally energized by the battery at and the armatures 8 and 9 of said track relay are -i.n their upper position, as shown in the drawing.

' At the entrance to each block a ramp is suitably supported adjacent to the track rails but insulated therefrom. Some of said ramps are immovable, like the ramp R shown at the entrance to the block B, at the left hand part of the figure, the direction of trafiic being from left to right, as indicated by the arrow X in said figure. At certain other points along the trackway, as for instance, at the entrance to a territory govened by an interlocking plant, the ramps are so constructed and mounted as to be movable. Such a movable ramp R is shown at the entrance to the block C, and is movably mounted upon a base 10 of wood or similar insulating material by two pairs of parallel links 11 and 12. One linkof the pair 11 is extended below its fixed pivot, and pivotally connected to this extension of said link 11 is an operating rod 13 which is slidably supported on the base 10 by suitable guides .14. The operating rod llmay be actuated in any way, by power or manually; but is shownas arranged to be operated by a hand lever 15.

The circuits and electrical connections between the ramps and the armatures of the track relays 5 will not be described in detail,.since these connections and the different operating circuits will be set forth fully hereinafter in the description of the operation.

The apparatus on the train for controlling the movement thereof comprises a device K which is constructed and arranged to control the movement of the train when it should proceed cautiously. Various devices are well known in the art which satisfy the requirements of'the device K. and since the device K forms no part of this invention, its detail construction will not be shown and described. The device K may be used to automatically control the speed of the train immediately upon itsv operation, or according to the speed of the train and the distance it has traveled after the device K has been set into operation.

The automnatic train control apparatus also includes a stop device S constructed and arranged to bring the train to an absolute stop, as for instance, by instantaneously applying the emergency brakes. Since this device S, like the device K, forms no part of this invention and various devices well known in the art are capable of performing its necessary functions, a detail description of the construction of the device S is deemed unnecessary. I

The train or vehicle is shown in the drawing as comprising two pairs of wheels 1G1( and 18-18 connected by the usual axles l7 and 19 respectively; and a bar 20 is shown connecting the axles l7 and 19 to represent the frame or body of the train or vehicle. A support or bracket 21 is secured to the train or vehicle in any suitable way. as for instance, by being mounted upon a journal box or axle of the vehicle, as shown in the drawings; and supported on the bracket 21 is a vertically movable shoe or plunger 2; which is pressed downvardly by a spring 23. The shoe 22 is arranged in a plane oi the ram )s R and R and is adapted to contact 'witi said ramps as the train passes along the track. The shoe 22 is designed to he raised as each ramp is passed, so as to break a normally closed circuit on the t'ain. To accomplish this purposethe shoe 22 may be provided with a disk 27 of conducting material suitably mounted on said shoe but insulated therefrom; and supported by members 24 and 25 of insulating material fixed to the bracket 21 are two contact sprin'gs'ilti which are arranged to cooperate with the disk 27 when the shoe 22 is in its lower position. \Vhen'the shoe 22 is raised, however, the disk 27 is moved out of contact with the contact springs 26. The shoe 22 is also arranged to break another normally closed circuit when raised to a still higher position: and to accomplish this pur pose the shoe '22 is provided with a button 28 of insulating material, which engages the underside oi a contact spring 29 iixed lo the. member 25 and arranged to cooperate with a contact member 30 fixed to the member 24.

The operation of the speed control apparatus K is controlled by a relay Ill on the train or vehicle which has two armaturcs 32 and 33. Vhen the relay 31, is energized and its armature 33 is in its upper position, current is supplied to the speed control device K from a local source oi current, as a battery 34-. accordingto the following circuit :battery 34, conductor 35. device K, conductor 36, armature 33 in its upper position and conductor 37 back to the battery 34. The control relay 31 is supplied with current from a local battery 38 when its armature 32 is in its upper position and the shoe 22 is in its lower position according to a circuit which may be traced as follows:

tors 42 and 46 to the frame20 oi the vehicle.

' The function of this partial circuit will be more fully described hereinafter in the description of the operation.

The operation of the automatic stop device S is controlled by a circuit controlling de- .vice comprising the contact spring 29 and the contact member 30, said automatic stop member contact spring 29 device being supplied with current from a local battery 47 when said contact spring 29 spring 30 acconductoi a8, device S, conductor 49, contact and conductor back to the battery 47. i

.When the shoe 22 engages a ramp R it is raised to a position, as shown in the figure,

in which the disk 27 is out of contact with the contactspring 26, but the shoe '22 is not raised high enough to lift the contact spring 29 out of contact with the contact member 30. When the shoe 22 engages a'ra1np R, Whensaid ramp is raised, the shoe 22 is raised-high enough. to lift the contact spring,

29 out oi engagement with. the contact member 30. In other words, the shoe 22 has three positions, first, a normal position, second, a first operated position, in which the circuit through the control relay 31 is broken but the circuit through the stop device S is not broken, and third, asecond opcratell position which is caused by the engagement of said shoe with a ramp R in its raised position, and in which the circuit through the stop device S is also broken.

Having described generally the structure and arrangement of the various parts constituting a system for automatically controlling railway trains which embodies the invention; and in general the operation of the parts otthis system which are mounted on the train, the operation of the system as a whole will be described for difl'crent in which certain conditions, such as may occur in practice, are assumed to exist along the traclrway.

F or the first ,condition to he considcrtul, assume that the train under consideration is in the blocl: A, as shown in the figure. are; is about to enter the block B; that said train has found thejraclrway unobstructed and is running without heingundertlne control or" the device hi, and that neither the bloch i nor'the block C are occupiedby a t Since thebloclrs B and C are not occnp' 'in the drawing. Before the train enters the block B, the shoe 22 engages the ramp R and besides being lifted to break the normally closed circuit through the relay 31, as hereinbe'tore described, said shoe makes electrical contact vwith the rampR. A high difference of potential exists between the ramp R and the track rails at this time according to a partial circuit which may betraced as fol? lows: from the ramp ll, conductor 53, armature 8 of the track relay 5 in its upper position, conductor battery 52, conductors 55 and 56, battery ail 1. Consequently, when the shoe 22 makes electrical contact with the ramp R current is supplied from the batteries 51 and 52 along the track to the control'relay 31 on the car according to a circuit Whichinay be traced as follows: from the battery 52, conductor 54:,arn1ature S of the track relay 5 in its upper position. conductor shoe 22, conductors and 4-1, relay 81, conductors 42 and 46, frame 20 oi the vehicle through the axles 17 and 19 and the Wheels 16 and 18 to the track rail 1., conductor 57, battery 51 and conductors and 55 back to the battery 52. lln this way, although the normally closed circuit for energizing the control. relay 3 1 is broken by the upward movement of the shoe 22, current is simultaneously supplied to said control relay 31 to maintain it energized, and this condition exists until the first pair of wheel-s 16-16 entor the block B. j

When the first pair of wheels 16 1G enter the block B the track relay 5 is shunted, due

to the low resistance of the wheels and axles 17, and the ari'nature 2 of said track relay drops and interrupts the circuit hereinbefore traced for supplying current to the control relay 31 but establishes another circuit for supplying current to said relay 31 as follows: from the battery fil adjacent to the entrance to the block colnluctor 59 armature 9 of the track relay 5 sition, conductor 58, armature 8 of the track relay 5 in its lower position, conductor 53. ramp R, shoe 22, coinluctors i5 and 41, relay 31, conductors 42 and 46 to the frame 20 of the vehicle and thence and the wheels 16 and lb to the track rail 1 Although only the battery 51 is supplying current to the relay 31, instead of the battray 51 and the battery 52 in series as was the case before the first wheels of the train entered the block .and by conductor 57 back to the lmttery 51"."

hold its arniatures 32 and 33 in their raised position, since the current required to hold 51, conductors 57 to the track 53, ramp it,

in its upper poby the axles 17 and 19 llt) 13 this battery 51 alone :w sulhcient current to the relay 31 to its armaturesin their upper position.

the-armatures of therelay 31 in their raised position after they have once been raised, is less than that required to raise said armatures from their lower position. This characteristic of the armatures of the relay 31 may resultfrom the decrease in the reluctance of the magnetic circuit for said relay when the armatures are raised, 'as is commonly the case with ordinary dropaway relays, or the torque for returning said armatures to their lower position may be made variable so as to be greater when the armatures are in their lower position that when they-are in their upper position.

From the foregoing it can be seen that if the train approaches the block B, and said block B and the block C are unoccupied, the control relay 31 on the train will first be connected to a high voltage source of current sullicient to raise its armatures and then subsequently be connected to a low voltage source of current which is snflicient to hold Consequently, the armature 33 of the control relay 31, will not drop and interrupt the normally closed circuit -through the speed control device K, or if it drops, will be immediately raised. The result is that the train may proceed through the block B unrestrained by the speed control device K.

For the next condition to be considered, assume that the train is in the block A and is about to enter the block B, as shown in the drawing; that said. train has had an unobstructed trackway over which to pass and has been traveling unrestrained by the speed control device K; and that while the block B is unoccupied there is a t ain in the block 0. Under these conditions, the control relay 31 will first be connected to the high voltage source of current, that is, the batteries 51 and 52, as hereinbefore described: but, when the first wheels of the train enter the block B and the armature 8 of the track relay 5 drops, the circuit hereinbcfore traced which connects the control relay 31' with the low voltage source of current, the battery 51, is interrupted by reason of the fact that the armature 9 of the track relay 5 is in its lower position due to the presence of the train in the block C. Consequently, before the shoe 22 leaves. engagement with the ramp R the supply of current to the control relay 31 is interrupted and its armatures 32 and 33 drop. The. dropping of the armature 32 of the control relay 31 opens a break in the circuit which normally energizes said relay when the; shoe 22 is in its lower position, so that after the shoe QZ leaves engagement with the ramp R and is forced by the spring 23 to its lower position, the relay 31 will not be rei nergized and its armatnres will remain in their lower position. lVhen the armature 3% of the control relay 31 drops it interrupts the normidly closed circuit through the speed control'device ii. and sets said device K into operation to control the movement of the train with a. view to bringing it to a stop or to a predetermined low speed by the time the end of the block is reached. From the foregoing, it can. be seen that when the train enters the block B and the block C is occupied the speed control device K will be set into operation to cause the movement of said train to be controlled in accordance with the conditions which require the train to proceed can tiously.

' For the next condition to be considered. assume that the train is in the block A and is about to enter the block B. and tl at the block B is occupied by another train. in this case the train under consideration will have been controlled by the device K which was set into operation at the time this train entered block A, because the presence of the train in the block B caused the operation of the speed control device K when the train entered the block A in the same way. as hereinbefore described. in which the pres ence of a train in the block (T would -au::c the operation of the device K when the train entered the block B. For this reason the armatures 32 and 33 of the control relay ill will be in their lower position while. the train is passing through the block A and will be in this position when the shoe 51:? first engages the ramp it. The presence of the train in the block it shunts the track re lay 5 and causes the armature H of said traclc relay to drop, so that the control rrlay ill will be first connected to a low voltage source of current, namely: the battery 51 acrordiun to the following circuit: from the battery .31, conductors 56 and 59 armature 9 of the track relay 5 in its upper position. conductor 58, armature S of the traclt relay 5' in its lower position, condiu'tm 53. ramp ll, shoe 22, conductors 15 and ll, control relay 31, conductors 42 and 46. frame 20 of the train. and thence by the axles and wheels to the track rail 7 and by conductor 57 back to the battery 51. Since the. armature-s 3; and 33 of the control relay 3i are in their lower position the current supplied from the bat tcry 51 alone is not suilicicnt to raise the armatures; and the train. if it proceeds into the block B, must do so at the speed imposed upon it by the speed control device K. if it should happen that the block C is occupied by a train as well as the block ll, then the circuit just -traced will be interrupted at the armature 9 of the track relay 5, since the presence of the train in the block C causes the armatures of said track rela 5 to drop. In this case, no difference of potential would exist between the ramp It and the track rails; and the armatures of the con'rol relay 31 would remain in iiicir lower positions.

income The ramp ll, although it is movably mounted, is provided with the same bontroltem.

ling circuits at the ramp R, and in its lower position said ramp ll performs the same function as the ramp It. However, at some points along the track it may be necessary or desirable to bring the train to an absolute stop by applying the brakes instantaneously and independently of the speed control de vice K. This is accomplished by raising the ramp R which may be done by actuation the operating; rod-13 to rock the link ll. ll licn the shoeQfZ engages the ramp R in its upper position, said shoe is raised high enough to lift the contact spring; 29 out of engagement with the contact member 30 so as to interrupt the normally closed circuit through the stop device 9. The deinergination oi? the stop device S may be utilized. in any suitable way to cause an immediate automatic application of the brakes to bring the train to an immediate stop.

lhe electrically operated devices along the track are shown as provided to be operated. by direct current alone; but it is to be un.- derstood that with a simple modification, which will be apparent to those sltilled in the art of railway signa ling, these devices may be so constructed that alternating current may be used as the controllinp, medium, both for the devices on the train and along the track, with the advantage that stray direct current will not falsely operate the systom. l lnl y one shoe is shown, but any number of shoes and any number of motor cars or locomotives may be included in the train without all'ectinp; the operation of the sys- The mounting of the movable ramps and the means for actuating; said ramps to their different operated positions may talte various other forms than that shown and do scribed; and the shoe shown and described may be of any other form suitable for pert forming its necessary functions.

Although l have particularly described the construction of one physical embodiment of my invention, and ex plained the operation and principle thereof; nevertheless, I desire to have it understood that the tormsclected is merely illustrative, but does not exhaust the possible physical embodiments of the idea of means underlying my invention.

What l claim as new and dcsire'to secure by Letters Patent ot' the United States, is:

l. in a system for automatically controlling railway twins, in combination: a ramp moval'ily mounted adjacent to the track for the trains, a shoe carried by the train and adapted to coiiperate with said ramp, said shoe being movable to-diilerent operated positions by said ramp according to the po sition to which said ramp has been moved, automatic speed control apparatus for said train operated by the movement of sa d shoe from its normal position to one of its opfor moving said ramp.

erated positions, automatic stop mechanism for said train controlled by the movement oil said shoe from its normal position to another of its operated positions, and means for moving said ramp to different positions.

2. In a system for automatically controlling railway trains, in combination: a ramp mounted adjacent to the track for the trains and movable vertically, a vertically movable shoe carried by the train and adapted to co operate with said ramp, said shoe beinp; moved by said ramp to dii'lerent operated positions, a circuit controlling device operated by said shoe and closed when said slice is in its normal position and opened when said shoe is raised to one or its operated positions, another circuit controlling device operatcd by said shoe and closed when said shoe is in its normal-= position and in said operated position and opened when said shoe is raised beyond said operated position, auto matic speed control apparatus carried by said train and controlled by said first-men tioned circuitcontrolling device, automatic stop mechanism controlled by said lastrnentinned circuit controlling device, and means i 3. ln a system for automatically controlling railway trains, in combination: ramps located along the tracltway for the trains, some of said ramps being movable, a shoe carried by a train and adapted to coiiperate with said ramps, said shoe-being actuated by all of said ramps to one oft-its operated positions and being actuated to a position beyond said operated position'by said movable ramps when said movable ramps are moved from their normal position, and automatic train controlling apparatus controlled by said shoe. i

l. in a system for automatically controh ling railway vehicles, in combination with a railway tracltdividecl into blocks, of a ramp movably mounted" along the traclc tor the trains, said ramp being insulated from the rails of said tracltway, means responsive to the presence of a train on the next block for creating a high difference of potential between said ramp and said track rails, means responsive to the presence of a train onthe second succeeding block for-creating a low difference of potential between said ramp and said track rails, and'automatic speed control apparatus and automatic step mocha-- nism carried by the train and controlled so lcctively by said differences of potential and the position of said ramp res ectively.

5. To a system for automatically control-- ling railway vehicles, a shoe carried by the train and movable vertically, a circuit controlling device operated by said shoe and closed when said shoe is in its normal 10-- sition and opened when said shoe is raise to one of its operated positions, another circuit controlling device operated by said shoe and closed when said shoe is in its normal position and in said operated position, and opened when said shoe is raised beyond said operated position, automatic apparatus for regulating gradually the progress of the vehicle controlled by one operated position of the shoe, and a separate automatic stop mechanism for imngediately arresting the movement of the vehicle controlled by the other operated position of the shoe.

6. In an automatic train control system, impulse devices located at intervals along a railway track, one or more particular impulse devices being capable of assuming different controlling positions, trackway circuits for rendering the controlling condition of all of said impulse devices dependent upon traffic conditions in advance, automatic speed control apparatus on a vehicle traveling over the track which is controlled by the controlling conditions of all of said impulse devices, and an automatic stop mechanism on the vehicle governed by the controlling position of said particular impulse devices.

7. In an automatic train control system, an impulse device having different controlling conditions dependent upon the presence or absence of other trainsin advance and also adapted to assume a distinctive controlling position, manually operable means for governing the controlling position of said impulse device, automatic speed control apparatus on a vehicle responsive to the controlling conditions of said impulse device, and an automatic stop mechanism on the vehicle responsive to the controlling position of said impulse device.

8. In an automatic train control system, a vehicle having an apparatus for regulating gradually its progress along the track and a separate apparatus for immediately arresting its movement, a track for the vehicle divided into track circuit sections, an impulse device associated with each track section and responsive to traffic conditions in advance for governing the gradually acting apparatus, and manually operable means associated with one or more of sai impulse devices for causing that impuls, device to assume a distinctive controlling position capable of initiating the operation of the quick acting apparatus.

9. In arr automatic train controlsystem, a track divided into track circuit sections, ramps located at the entrances to said track sections and capable of having different electrical controlling conditions, controlling circuits for each ramp selectively governed by the track circuits of the: track sections in advance, one or more particular ramps being capable of movement to a. distinctive controlling position, manually operable means for operating the particular ramps. and separate automatic train control devices on a vehicle, one controlled by the electrical. conditions of all of said ramps, and the other governed by the position of a particular ramp.

10. In an automatic train control system, a track divided into track circuit sections, a ramp associated with each track section, a source of current of different potentials associated with each ramp, means controlled by each track circuit for establishing a connection between the high. potential source and the corresponding ramps, lllflIlS controlled by each track circuit for establishing a connection between the low potential source and the ramp next in the rear, one or more particular ramps being capable of: movement to a distinctive controlling position, manually operable means for operating said particular ramps, automatic apparatus on a vehicle for regulating gradually the progress thereof which is controlled by the electrical conditions of said ramps, and an automatic stop mechanism for immediately arresting the movement of the vehicle which is controlled by the position of said particular ramps.

11. In an automatic train control system, in combination with a vehicle and a track therefor, of means on the vehicle for regulating the speed thereof from point to point along the track in accordance with traffic conditions existing for a predetermined distance ahead of the respective points, an impulse device at one or more particular points capable of assuming different controlling positions, and means on the vehicle governed by the positions of said impulse devices for immediately arresting the movement of the vehicle independently ofthe first mentioned means.

12. In an automatic train control system, a controlling ramp supported by parallel links and adapted to assume different elevated positions without having its alincment I with reference to the horizontal changed,

manually operable. means for controlling the position of said ramp, and traffic controlled circuits for supplying current to said ramp ir 'espective of its position.

L3. In an automatic train control system, an impulse device along a railway track adapted to assume different controlling positions and different electrical controlling conditions, traffic controlled trackway circuits for determining the controlling conditions of said device, means for moving said device to its different controlling positions, and automatic train control apparatus on a vehicle traveling over the track which is selectively responsive to the controlling conditions and positions of said impulse device. 14. In an automatic train control system, the combination with a railway vehicle and a track therefor, of impulse transmitting means comprising elements partly on the vehicle and partly along the track, one or more particular trackvvaj elements of said means being capable -of assuming a distinctive controlling position which has a con trolling effect on the vehicle-carried element different from the other trackway elements, automatic train control apparatus on the vehide, and normally closed circuits for selectively governing said apparatus, said circuits being selectively controlled by the particular trackway eleznents and the other trackway elements.

WINTHRQOP K. HOWE. 

